Fuel Surcharge Calculator

About this calculator

Trucking fuel surcharges exist to pass fluctuating diesel costs from carrier to shipper without renegotiating the base freight rate every time fuel prices move. The standard formula pegs a base fuel price (often set when the contract was signed, or from a benchmark like the DOE weekly average): Surcharge per mile = (Current Fuel Price − Base Peg Price) ÷ Truck MPG, and the total surcharge for a shipment is that per-mile rate multiplied by the miles hauled.

Because surcharge tables and mileage bands vary by carrier, this formula reflects the underlying mechanics rather than one universal published rate — but the core logic is the same across the industry: as diesel prices rise above the peg, the surcharge rises proportionally, protecting carrier margins without touching the negotiated linehaul rate. Freight brokers, trucking company dispatchers, and shippers auditing carrier invoices use this calculation to verify that a quoted fuel surcharge lines up with current diesel prices.